Correlative imaging and pattern approach in ultrasonography of bone lesions: a pictorial essay

The purpose of this paper is to sensitize musculoskeletal and general sonographers to a wide variety of bony abnormalities that may be noted adjacent to soft tissues of interest. The authors gathered sonographic images displaying abnormalities involving the periosseous, periosteal and cortical tissues from numerous patients who underwent imaging in their department. When available, correlative imaging or the pathological diagnosis (or both) is provided. The authors conclude that musculoskeletal ultrasonography, when used to its full potential, can reveal corroborative and occasionally unsuspected evidence of underlying bony abnormalities, so that correlative imaging (e.g., plain radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging or bone scanning) can be performed as appropriate.